New York USA Wrestling

SENIOR MEN'S BEST-OF-3 CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

STAMPS GALORE ARE GOING IN THAT PASSPORT!!

PJ Duke has left no question that he is both the present and the future of USA Wrestling!!!

The 18-year old wunderkind defied the odds as he battled back from a 10-0 loss in round #1; and then overcame a 9-2 deficit in round #2 (to eventually win 17-10) to become the first High Schooler to win at Final X when he pinned Yianni Diakomihalis (2022 UWW Senior World Runner-up; 4x NCAA National Champion for Cornell) at the 4:07 mark of the rubber match to prevail in the collision of Empire State legends (both 4x NYSPHSAA Champs)!

By virtue of the fortitude demonstrated over the weekend under the roof of the Prudential Center; he has set himself up for one hectic but immensely exciting "SUMMER VACATION!!!

In August, Duke will return to Sofia, Bulgaria where he will attempt to improve upon the Under-20 Bronze medal he seized in 2024!!

One month later; he'll be packing his bags for Croatia [Zagreb] for the first of what we predict will be habitual appearances at the Senior dance

Note: Duke has also exercised his rights to compete as the Under-23 representative this October in Novi Sad, Serbia!
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MATCH #1

In a pre-match interview; the 2022 UWW Senior World Silver medalist [Diakomihalis] stated that the plan was the "maul" his fellow Empire State phenom opponent...

And that is precisely what he did in racking up the 10-0 margin in a time of 3:26!!

His veteran experience on full display, the Section V native [Hilton] was able to build a 6-0 cushion at the break when he countered Duke's head-pinch attempt for a TD :59 into the bout; rolled through a 2pt crotch-lift with 1:07 to go in the stanza; and then drove through for a traditional TD in the final half minute....

When action resumed; the Spartan Combat WC trained rep stayed on the attack; transitioning from a High-C into a double-leg; which he used to lift and deposit his S9 foe to the mat for his third TD of the contest before polishing off the superiority victory by popping a 2pt gut shortly thereafter!!!

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MATCH #2

NOT DONE YET....WHAT...A....COMEBACK!!!

Down 9-2 (as referenced above); the 2024 UWW U20 World Bronze medalist hailing from Minisink Valley answered back by detonating for 15 of the last 16 points scored in the bout...

His rally sparked by a 2pt crotch-lift approximately half-a-minute into the 2nd period to cut the hole to 9-4; Duke's ability to counter-punch was prolific during crunch time, as he later added a 4pt chest-wrap (1:26 remaining) to close to within 10-8...

Taking his first lead of the contest with under 1:00 to go in duration; Duke would spin-behind and then launch Diakomihalis for a 5-point high amplitude move; before adding a 2pt gut off of the continuation of the sequence to vault himself in front, 15-10...

For good measure, he circle behind for a TD in the last :30 to account for aforementioned tally!!

The majority of Yianni D's points in the 1st period came courtesy of a head-wheel TD, complemented by back-to-back leg-laces in the last 90 of the stanza!
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MATCH #3

Down 2-0 in the 2nd period of the rubber match; the Penn State bound standout utilized low-level and over-hook to pancake Diakomihalis for the stick!

For the first time since 2017 (non including 2024 World where only Non-Olympic weights were contest); Team USA will be sending a Men's Freestyle roster to major Senior International Championship (Worlds/Olympics) without Kyle Dake's name on it!!

Squaring off in a rematch of the 2024 U.S. Open finals; it would be Zahid Valencia (2023 Senior World Bronze; Former 2x NCAA National Champion), emerging with a sweep of the series by scores of 5-3 and 4-1!  
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MATCH #1

The former 4x NCAA DI National Champion for the Cornell Big Red made things interesting at the very end; but still dropped the first round

The Sun Devil alumnus came out of the gate on fire; as he required just :18 to get on the board when he converted a takedown to go up 2-0...

The lead grew to 3-0 when Dake was unable to score while on the activity clock with 35 ticks before the break...

In the waning moments of the opening stanza, the Lansing native was able to get in deep on an attack; but was forced to settle for just a stepout to trail 3-1!!

Valencia would notch what proved to be the winning score at the onset of the 2nd period [:14 in] to go up 5-1...

The New Yorker came on strong down the home stretch; as he finished a single-leg with :26 to cut the deficit to 5-3; but was unable to get to a comfortable lock on his trademark gut-wrench...

After a restart on the feet; Dake fell a few seconds short of potentially striking with a go-behind!
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MATCH #2

All of Valencia's points coming in the midst of one sequence during the opening 1:00 of the 1st period; the former 2x NCAA Champ/2023 Senior World Bronze collected a TD and then immediately added a 2pt turn via leg-lace to account for all the damage he'd need!!!

Dake's lone point occurred when he was able to entice a caution +1 to be issued to Valencia for deliberately grounding himself while under duress in the last :01 of regulation!

SENIOR TRUE-3RD MATCH:

Congratulations to Buffalo area resident, Latifah McBryde, earning her first career spot on the USA Women's Senior National Team!

Squaring off against 2025 U.S. Open and/or Senior WTT runner-up, Solin Piearcy (also a 5x Collegiate All-American; 2019 WCWA National Champion/2019 NAIA titlist); McBryde would dominate from start to finish en route to racking up a 15-2 superiority triumph in a time of 5:04!

Striking for three first period takedowns (plus a 2pt turn after the initial TD); the Empire Stater drew first blood a little over half-minute into the bout when she hit a throw-by to get behind for her opponent...

She'd add TDs via an outside trip and a go-behind to carry the 8-2 cushion into the break...

When action resumed in the 2nd period; she stayed on the hunt; as she was able to use a trip to induce a stepout with 2:11 remaining (9-2); and then later turned defense into offense when she countered Piearcy's attack by locking up a crotch-lift for a 2pt exposure to pull further ahead (11-2)...

The clock dipping below 1:00 in regulation; that bread-and-butter trip paid dividends yet again as McBryde emphatically terminated the contest by cashing in on the 4-point the feet-to-back takedown !!!

Saturday's heroics is the next feat in what has been an extraordinary season for the Life University student-athlete!!

In March, she claimed her first career NAIA individual title (after being a runner-up in both '23 and '24); and last month she was a bronze medalist at the Senior Trials!!

BEAT-THE-STREETS HS FS ALL-STAR MATCHES:

An undercard match that was so good, it probably stole the show away from the senior festivities....

3x NYSPHSAA DI State finalist/2x Champion, Cooper Merli (NYMA/Newburgh) took the "w" in an absolute war over 2x NHSCA National Champ/2024 Fargo Junior FS AA/2024 Super 32 placer, Oumar Tounkara (just graduated from NYMA), in a collision of the #5 and #12 ranked gents in the nation!!!

Finding himself down 7-0 late in the 1st period; the Army West Point verbal commit stormed back to peel off 11 of the final 15 points!!

A 4-pointer with 2:27 remaining in regulation (to make the score 11-8) being the most substantial blow delivered by the Goldback turned Knight; Merli methodically chipped away at the deficit by adding a pair of stepouts; including one that yielded a caution + 1 in the last 15 seconds of the 2nd period to tie the bout and give him the dub on criteria!

Final X doubling as the Beat The Streets NY fundraiser; junior, Ana Carolina Lockard made the organization mighty proud when she emerged as a 12-2 superiority victor against Keystone State rep/2025 North Regional runner-up, Amillyiona Green!

Making quick work of Green; the 5x PSAL/City titlist (3x FS/2x Folk) and/or 2025 NHSCA All-American [Lockhard] exploded for a pair of 4-pointers during the opening :40 of the 1st period to grab the immediate 8-0 cushion!!

In the last 90 seconds of the 1st, he tacked on another TD + turn to get off the mat in a time of 1:44!!!

MEET TEAM USA

57kg: Spencer Lee (Iowa City, Iowa)----2024 Olympic Silver medalist; 2x Junior/U20 World Champion (2015, 2016); 2x Cadet/U17 World Champion Team Member/2014 Champion (7th in '13)
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61kg: Vito Arujau (NY) vs. Jax Forrest (PA)----To be wrestled in Fargo!!

The 2x returning Senior World medalist/2023 Champion [Arujau] hailing from NY will look to prevent a changing of the guard when he squares off against the #1 overall national prospect in the '26 class/2022 U17 World Runner-up!
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65kg: Real Woods (Ann Arbor, Mich.)----15th at the 2016 Cadet/U17 Greco-Roman World Championships 
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70kg: PJ Duke (Slate Hill, NY)---2024 Junior/U20 World Bronze Medalist
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74kg: David Carr (Ames, Iowa/Cyclone)---2019 Junior/U20 World Champion; 2016 Cadet/U17 World Bronze; 11th at the 2022 U23 Championships
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79kg: Levi Haines (Arendtsville, Pa)---7th at the 2021 Cadet/U17 World Championships
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86kg: Zahid Valencia (Stillwater, Okla)---2023 Senior World Bronze Medalist; 3x Junior/U20 Team Member/2017 World Runner-up (10th in '15, 7th in '16)
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92kg: Trent Hidlay (Raleigh, N.C.)---2022 U23 World Runner-up; 2019 U20/Junior World Bronze Medalist
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97kg: Kyle Snyder (State College, Pa)---3x Olympian (Gold in '16, Silver in '21, 5th in '24); 7x Senior World Medalist/4x Champion (2x Runner-up; 2x Bronze); 2x Junior/U20 Medalist (2013 Champion; Bronze in '14)
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125kg: Wyatt Hendrickson (Stillwater, Okla)---2023 U23 World Champion; 5th at the 2021 Junior/U20 Worlds

50kg: Audrey Jimenez (Bethlehem, Pa)----2023 U23 World Runner-up; 2x Junior/U20 World Runner-up; 2x Cadet/U17 Team Member (Bronze in '21; 13th in '22)
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53 kg – Felicity Taylor (Coralville, Iowa)---2x U23 Team Member (9th in '19, 5th in '22)
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55kg: Cristelle Rodriguez (Fresno, Calif.)----2x Junior/U20 Team Member (2024 World Champion, 12th in '23; 2019 Cadet/U17 Runner-up)
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57kg: Helen Maroulis (Rockville, Md.)----3x Olympic Medalist (2016 Gold; Bronze in '21 and '24); 7x Senior World Medalist (3x Champion; 2x Runner-up; 2x Bronze); 4x Junior/U20 Team Member (Bronze in '08 and '10, 17th in '09, Silver in '11)
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59kg: Jacarra Winchester (Colorado Springs, Colo)---5th at the 2021 Olympics; 6x Senior Team Member (2019 World Champion; 2023 Runner-up; 5th in '18, 5th in '22, 14th in '24) 
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62kg: Adaugo Nwachukwu (Colorado Springs, Colo.---2024 World Military Champion; 2x Junior/U20 Teamer (Bronze in '2022, 7th in '23); 2x U23 Team Member (10th in '23, 12th in '24)
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65kg: Macey Kilty (Iowa City, Iowa---2x Senior World Medalist (Runner-up in '23, Bronze in '24); 2x Cadet/U17 Medalist (Gold in '18, Bronze in '16); 2x Junior World Runner-up; 3x U23 Teamer/2x Runner-up (5th in '23)
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68kg: Kennedy Blades (Tiffin, Iowa---2024 Olympic Silver Medalist; 2x Junior/U20 Medalist (2021 Champion, Bronze in '23); 2023 U23 World Runner-up; 2019 Cadet/U17 7th)
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72kg: Alexandria Glaude (Atherton, Calif)---2023 U23 World Bronze Medalist; 9th at the 2017 Junior/U20 Worlds
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76kg: Kylie Welker (Iowa City, Iowa)---3x Senior Teamer (Bronze in '24; 10th in '21); 2x U23 World Medalist (Champion in '24, Bronze in '21); 2021 Junior/U20 World Champion; 2019 Cadet/U17 World Bronze Medalist